Melt the Ice - Magic Bring Heat to Cold January

Jan 29, 2019

It was the Battle of the 506 and the Moncton Magic are victorious. The team won a close game against the Saint John Riptide, winning their third game in a row, and improving to a record of 15-7 on the season. After taking care of business at home against the Island Storm on January 18th,the Magic carried that momentum into Tuesday night, defeating the Riptide 91-88.

Moncton came out firing on all cylinders to begin the first quarter of the game, jumping out to a 12-2 start, forcing Saint John into an early timeout. However, out of the timeout, the Riptide capitalized on multiple turnovers by the Magic. Due to a couple frustrating turnovers and calls, there was an exchange of words that lead to the questionable ejection of Head Coach Joe Salerno. Assistant Coaches Elvin Mims, Matt Robertson, Mitchell Rowley, and Todd McKillop stepped up, regrouped, and refocused their players. The fired up Moncton Magic saw themselves leading at halftime 49-43, led by Duke Mondy's point guard leadership and hot hand from downtown.

Corey Allmond finished with a team high 27 points on 8-17 shooting from the field and 9-10 from the free throw line. The combo guard found his stroke late in the 3rdquarter as he stung together 3 straight baskets, lifting Moncton to a 67-65 lead entering the forth.

The fans and community of Moncton were highly anticipating the return of Billy White into the starting lineup. The Las Vegas native did not disappoint, finishing with 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and was awarded the player of the game nomination. During his 6-game absence, his intensity and aggressiveness were missed the most. The big man forced the ball inside capitalizing on an aggressive two-handed slam and two momentum shifting AND1 plays.

The Saint John Riptide saw their starters give them high quality minutes. TJ Maston was a problem tonight, posting 29 points, 18 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots. Frank Bartley was his usual self adding 23 points. While Jeremiah Mordi also recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The Magic did not miss a beat after coming off of an 11-day break. They are fresh, rejuvenated, and prepared to face the defending champs, the London Lightning, on a back to back at home. It will be the Lightning's first appearance at the Avenir Centre. Come out and cheer on your Moncton Magic, as they look to keep their recent winning streak alive.

About MONCTON MAGIC Headquartered in Moncton, NB, the MONCTON MAGIC is a professional basketball organization that operates under a licensing agreement with the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC). The team will play its games in a two-conference league with clubs located in the Provinces of Ontario and Atlantic Canada.